Aura and Givebacks Establish Parent-led Council of Online Safety Officers Serving Schools Around the Country

New officer will use Aura's proprietary online safety curriculum to coordinate trainings, programming and distribution of tool kits to effectively keep children in their local communities safe online

BOSTON, Aug. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Children around the country are heading back to school, balancing new routines, new responsibilities and new devices– possibly even their first cell phone– and their parents want to set them up for a safe and successful academic year.

Technology usage is having an impact on children's health and well-being, as outlined by the Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force in July, which highlighted growing instances of sleep deprivation, expanding prevalence of cyberbullying on social media and gaming platforms and increasing signs of youth mental health issues.

That is why as part of Digital Parenthood: Home Base, a program aimed at equipping parents with essential tools to raise confident and safe connected kids, Aura, the all-in-one online safety solution for individuals and families, and Givebacks, the industry standard in K-12 payments and giving technology, are training 150 PTA members or other trusted school representatives to become Online Safety Officers (OSOs) in schools across the country. These officers will be responsible for serving as a safety resource in their school district, coordinating programming and providing tools that will help parents in their communities safely raise connected kids.

"Our mission at Aura is to make the internet safer, and doing so requires that we put the power to protect kids back into the hands of parents," said Hari Ravichandran, CEO and founder of Aura. "It's not enough to simply share resources, which is why we're looking to deputies to champion online safety in town halls, at PTAs, PTOs, and anywhere else parents of school-aged kids are gathered."

This fall, volunteers will join three specially-designed virtual "train the trainer" sessions hosted by an educational expert and facilitator to become certified Online Safety Officers. During the training, OSOs will receive materials and curriculum, equipping them with the knowledge and resources to host training sessions for parents in their communities. The comprehensive training program will cover crucial topics such as creating healthy online habits, how to have conversations about online predators, cyberbullying and social media.

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, parenting comes with unique challenges. The time is now to give parents the tools they need to raise kids who can confidently and safely navigate the online world. If you are interested in being an OSO or nominating one for any K-12 community in the U.S., please visit: www.givebacks.com/homebase.

The OSO initiative is one cornerstone of Digital Parenthood Home Base, which additionally consists of a nationwide Online Safety Town Hall tour in 2025, and a comprehensive online safety campaign for parents. Givebacks app users can also access a complimentary 30-day membership of Aura Parental Controls.

ABOUT AURA
Aura is one of the fastest growing online safety solutions for individuals and families. Whether you're protecting yourself, your kids, or your aging loved ones, Aura can meet your needs at every stage of life. Customers trust Aura's simple interface to effortlessly safeguard the things they care about most. Through real-time monitoring and alerts, Aura helps detect and mitigate emerging online threats, such as scams, predators and cyberbullying. To discover how Aura is reshaping online safety for people everywhere, visit www.aura.com.

ABOUT GIVEBACKS
Givebacks is an inclusive payments and giving platform that helps K-12 school communities do good every day without doing extra. Tens of thousands of school support organizations and districts across the U.S. depend on Givebacks to reach and rally millions of parents and caregivers for support. With over $100M in donation volume every year, Givebacks brings school districts, school support organizations, parents, caregivers, community supporters and socially conscious brands together to make a difference.

ABOUT DIGITAL PARENTHOOD: HOME BASE
Digital Parenthood: Home Base, a partnership between Aura and Givebacks, equips parents with essential tools to raise confident and safe connected kids. K-12 parents, PTA/PTO members, teachers, and school leaders are encouraged to nominate an Online Safety Officer (OSO) for the "train the trainer" program. These officers will then host training sessions for local parents on supporting their kids' healthy use of technology. Three regional events across the U.S. will take place in the first half of 2025. To register your interest or nominate an OSO, visit: www.givebacks.com/homebase.

SOURCE Aura